CG Moving attended the ATA Moving and Storage Conference Call on Washington in 2022.
The ATA Moving and Storage Conference "Call on Washington"
Charlie Gonzalez and the author attended a three-day industry advocacy event in Washington, D.C.
Charlie Gonzalez, CEO of CG Moving Co., and I had the opportunity to attend the American Trucking Associations Moving and Storage Conference “Call On Washington” last week.
A huge thank you to the ATA’s staff, Ryan Bowley, Danielle Hahami, Jon Samson, and so many others for organizing the three-day event and bringing in presenters covering relevant and pressing topics for our industry.
One of the most in-depth presentations, the “Rogue Operator Summit”, was led by California Moving and Storage Association President Steve Weitekamp.
Presentations and Industry Partners in Washington
Sessions covered rogue operators, FMCSA, the Chamber of Commerce, AARP, and crime prevention.
We also attended presentations by representatives from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), an Economics Panel Discussion with economists from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Multifamily Council, as well as law enforcement representatives and consumer protection nonprofit AARP.
We even got to hear from a representative of the National Crime Prevention Council, yes, that means McGruff the Crime Dog was in the house. Check out @mcgruffatncpc on TikTok for more.
Check out our CG Moving Co. TikTok for more pictures from our visit, and the full video recap on TikTok.
Taking Our Issues to Capitol Hill
Industry leaders brought stories of rogue operators, AB5, and the Independent Contractor model.
The three-day event culminated in meetings with representatives or their legislative assistants from both the House of Representatives and the Senate. We brought our stories of how current and upcoming legislation affects our industry and the consumers we serve.
Here is what was on our radar: Rogue operators who defraud consumers, sometimes taking the shipper’s property hostage and demanding double or triple the originally quoted price. This is exactly the kind of predatory behavior that makes life harder for legitimate, licensed California movers like CG Moving who do right by our clients every day.
We also advocated for protecting the Independent Contractor model nationwide. As you know if you are in California, the state has been subject to AB5 law since 2020, with some carved-out exemptions. Nationally, independent contractors in the trucking industry exceed 350,000 as owner-operators.
There is a 33-page research study conducted in 2021 by the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) Research Advisory Committee that does an excellent job of identifying the potential impact of federal law changes on the IC/owner-operator model.
Military Moves and the Push for Standardization
Movers complete 312,000 DOD moves annually and are seeking standardized base access protocols.
We also raised the need for standardization in access to military bases. Movers perform more than 312,000 moves annually for the DOD (based on a three-year average), but drivers and laborers are too often presented with different guidance on acceptable identification or clearance requirements depending on the installation. Consistent standards across all bases would make these government agency moves run more smoothly for everyone involved.
More detail on DOD household goods moving volumes can be found at the TRANSCOM TSP information page.
Get Involved with ATA-MSC
ATA-MSC members get access to advocacy opportunities, education, and industry networking.
If you are a mover or work in an industry that supports or sells to movers, get involved. There are many opportunities to participate in ATA-MSC meetings, and advocacy, education, and training resources are available to members.
More importantly, you get to meet people who genuinely care about the consumers we serve and take real pride in the essential services our industry provides.
By the way, the next major ATA event is the Management Conference and Exhibition, taking place in San Diego, California, October 22-25, 2022. Learn more at mce.trucking.org.
@cgmovingco ATA Moving and Storage Conference “Call On Washington” 2022 #ATA #ATAMembers #cgmovingcompany #bayarea #SmartSafeProfessionalMoves #🚛 #sf #colma #sacramento #ssf 💻 Cgmovingcompany.com
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